The award-winning My Octopus Teacher is one of the most heartwarming documentaries released in a while. The film, which premiered on Netflix on September 7th, follows film maker and free diver Craig Foster who had spent the last decade diving off the rocky coastline of Cape Town, known for its extremely cold water and rough conditions. The kelp forest where the story takes place is a clear and still patch in the midst of a chaotic coast, rich in biodiversity in what is essentially Foster’s backyard. One day, he meets an octopus as he is exploring the kelp forest, and driven by a playful but serious curiosity he builds trust with the young octopus that allows him to bear witness to most of her short life and find unexpected meaning in his own.